Embers
by PD-8
Summary: ONE-SHOT. The Fourth War has ended. The world changed. Many lives have been lost. Death. That was Sasuke's only wish. But because of Fate's cruel joke, he got stuck somewhere in between. Still alive, but already touched by eternal Chaos.


Name in progress: Ember

Author: PD-8

Genre: humor, angst, slice of life, crack!

Pairing: NaruSasu

Rating: T

Warning: batshit crazy Sasuke, weird humor, lazy non-English speaking author, references to almost everything, overall wtf. NO BETA.

Summary: The Fourth War has ended. The world changed. Many lives have been lost. Death. That was Sasuke's only wish. But because of Fate's cruel joke, he got stuck somewhere in between. Still alive, but already touched by eternal Chaos.

Status: Complete.

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own. I just claim the idea of Rinnegan-possessing-batshit-crazy-snake-like-Sasuk e.

A/N: This one is complete. But for now, I have two new ideas. Ask, review, correct, suggest, do something. Or they may never be published, or end up with the craziest things. Like, mpreg. Or genderbend. I love both, and can make them logical and realistic.

P.S. Had to update this because for some reason FFnet deleted all page-breaks and did some weird shit. And doesn't want to save formatting in a way I need it. Damn you, FFnet! Also, this is my first story in English.

* * *

Still air, heavy with smell of disinfection and some kind of bleach. Crisp white room and crisp white sheets on the hard bed. White bony hands with thin blue veins lying on top of sheets. Purple, empty, soulless eyes staring at them and not seeing.

Static, frozen picture of a human being. From day to day, unchanged, unmoving. Only hair and nails grow longer, and sometimes nurse come in to change the IV drip. From day to day... Not dead, but not alive.

"Still the same, Sasuke?" Naruto forces himself to smile, sitting down on old chair near the bed. "You know, you will grow all old and wrinkly in here, if you don't snap out of it soon."

Greeting like this for past three months became a habit of his. Slow torture of visiting his unresponsive friend and talking to his still form, at first in hope for awaking, now became a way of reliving his burdened soul. And hope? Hope already died whit Sasuke's mind on a pair.

"Come on, bastard, I'm sure you are tired from sitting like this." another overused phrase, while moving closer. "Or you actually enjoy my magnificent self?"

Naruto quietly sigh, looking in another shinobi unnatural-coloured eyes and gently took one pale hand in his own bigger and tanned hands. Like a butterfly. As if afraid to break it. Afraid of shattering the peaceful quiet.

"It really funny, but Tsunade says that your condition is somewhat connected with Rinnegan. You and your creepy eye techniques..."

* * *

He was surrounded by darkness. Pitch black. Unmoving. Suffocating. He was just sitting there, surrounded by Nothingness, both from outside and inside. Alone. Empty. Unresponsive. Lost in his own hollowness.

Then, there was a noise. Quiet rustle of clothing, echoing through the thick miasma. Warm presence, so unnatural in that place. Wrong. Wrong! Wrong...

He slowly open his eyes, with great effort, almost as if he forgot how to, looking for the intruder. There. A man, in his late thirtieth, surrounded by a soft light, separated from darkness.

"Don't hide your mistakes. They bound to find you, and bite you back" the man spoke, lips almost still, and kneeled in front of him.

"Who are you?" he whispered back, his gaze unmoving. Everything seems so slow, so immersed in viscous darkness.

"Don't follow my path. There's no time to say goodbye", said the man, as he slowly faded away, taking the light with him. "I love you. I always loved you. Be strong, I'm proud of you".

"Who are you?" he tried again, only to have his words lost in growing rumble.

* * *

"Hey, Sasuke, look what I brought for you today! It's flowers!" exclaimed Naruto, grinning with all his might. "Now, you can call me sassy gay, but they're really beautiful. Don'cha think?"

At least words about the flowers were true. Carefully picked, a bouquet of bright red camellias was placed in a vase on a bedstead table, soft petals blazing in afternoon sun.

As always, Sasuke stayed still and unresponsive.

"Oh, come on, bastard. I went through the trouble of getting them, and you still look like a sourpuss. It's not funny, you ungrateful asshole". Naruto's grin became strained, more like a painful grimace stuck to his face. "Sas', please, say something."

A minute of quiet. Naruto, waiting for some response, just for something. And Sasuke, sitting there, like a porcelain doll, only breathing.

"They're right, I'm a fucking masochist" said the blond, his grin falling away."But I can't. Not like them. I just... Just can't, you understand? I can't give up on you. Especially after you came back... And helped to protect our home. You saved us... Saved me... Fuck! You even brought Neji and everyone back!"

Now, he was sobbing. For the first time in long months, he was crying, soul barred and defenceless.

"You did this to yourself... Because you wanted to save them... And you... You did. Not like me... And what they did to thank you? They abandoned you! Hopeless case, better dead than lost... How could they... How..."

Only his quiet mumbling and soft sobs were heard in that room. Only that, and a soft, nearly there, breathing of his best friend, his first bound.

* * *

There was no way to tell, how many time passed in that dark, empty place since the end of rumble and all the things that it brought with. For all he knows, it could be days, hours, minutes... Or he was stuck in the endless loop of time. His ears were still ringing and his head felt heavy. It was quiet and dark again. So much better than noise.

But when he opened his eyes again, he saw a woman. Beautiful angel, with dark hair, bottomless dark eyes and a glowing white skin. She was so close, that he could felt the warm radiating from her. Magnificent, unearthly creature.

She slowly put her hands on his cheeks, smiling while pearly tears shine in her eyes.

"This is my last time. I wish I could stay a bit longer."

"Who are you?" he whispered to her, his headache getting stronger.

"You will remember in no time, I promise" she said, as she slowly faded away. "You look so much like me. So much... Be happy my dear, I will always love you, no matter what".

He frowned as something wet slide down his cheek. He tried, he actually tried to remember, what it was. But he couldn't… And then, the rumble and pain came back.

* * *

Sometimes, Naruto just couldn't help himself, couldn't fight his strange desire to touch Sasuke, to feel Sasuke. He actually blamed Kyuubi while ignoring snide remarks, rough laughter and some really perverted suggestions from the Fox.

And so, he touched. His calloused fingers sliding trough messy black hair. His rough palms caressing soft cheeks. His thumbs sliding under glassy violet eyes, and then moving down to touch those chapped lips. His hands sliding down from thin neck to bony shoulders, giving them a gentle shake, then further down to the elbows, forearms, wrists, and then, finally, grasping those small hands and pressing them to his own cheeks, shaking and panting like addicted. 'No scars. Just unblemished white skin. So soft…' he notes absent mindedly.

Maybe, he truly was addicted. Maybe, this was his own, unconscious way to deal with stress and shock. Maybe, he was trying to show himself, that this is a reality, harsh and sweet at the same time.

After his little ritual, Naruto would stay in that pose until he falls asleep with his face in Sasukes knees. Not the greatest way to sleep, but for blonde, despite his body after protests, this was the softest pillow and brunet's breathing was the most gentle lullaby in world.

* * *

This intruder is far younger than previous two, but so much alike. Like a mix between a man and a gentle angel. With very tired and aged eyes. They burn him; they stir something inside of his darkness filled chest. Those dark, dark regretful eyes.

"Sasuke. Look at me."

He doesn't recognize that word. It's sounds like some kind of gibberish, so unimportant and useless. He doesn't want to think about it. He doesn't want to think at all. To think, to breath. To live. Live? What is life?

The man kneels before him, strongly squeezing his shoulders. It should hurt, but he doesn't care. Not any more.

"Your time is ending. It wouldn't be long, before you disappear here. Sasuke…"

The man sharply breath in, and cough, something red coming to his lips.

"Sasuke. Run, Sasuke. Run. I can only hope, that you still can make it to the other side."

Then man suddenly presses their heads together, so desperate and actually scared.

"Do you understand me? Run. Run for your life. Run, you foolish little…"

Man's last word are drowned in a coming rumble, as he slowly fades away.

* * *

The first thing Naruto hears is an erratic beeping of a heart monitor. He actually forgot about that thing, getting so used to the gentle beep. Now it tears his ears, as panicked screams of several nurses tears his heart. The next thing he know, he is roughly shoved to the floor and away from the bed by scowling Tsunade.

"Tsunade! Gr-granny! What is going on?" he scared, he really scared. Something wrong, really wrong. He was never so afraid in his life like now.

"Naruto," she addressed him angrily. "Leave. Now."

"B-but!.."

"Leave!" She almost screams at him, as she barks some instructions to the nurses.

* * *

Naruto waits, his arms burrowed in his hear, painfully pulling, eyes squeezed closed, his heart aching in terror. Naruto waits. Just for something. At some moment of time he really wishes that Sasuke would die in hopes that then this agony will finally end.

He instantly feels guilt after thinking that. Guilt so strong that it nearly chokes him harshly stops his breathing. He feels so guilty, so useless… Tears spilling down his marked cheeks, onto the strangely clean floor between his legs.

Almost few eternities later – at least in Narutos mind – door opens and very tired looking Tsunade steps out. He chokes again, fear and terror doubled, his heart nearly bursting with worry. He can't ask her, he can't… What if… What if his stupid cruel wish comes true?

Tsunade just sighs, gesturing nurses to get the fuck out of that room. Then, she looks straight into his teary blue eyes and sighs again. Now with crooked smile on her unnaturally young face.

"Come. Your sleeping pain in the ass is okay. Actually… He's awake."

That was all that Naruto needed to jump from his seat like a madman and sprint inside that horrible white box of a room. He quickly rushes to the bed, falling to his knees, not even registering stinging pain of newly attained bruises."Sasuke? Sasuke?!"

"Naruto." Sasuke's voice is quiet and rough, more of a rasping breath than speaking.

"Sasuke…" he's crying again, shaken and loss. If he thought his heart was bursting before, than now it was something more powerful and painful. Those eyes, so lifeless, so unnaturally coloured, where now staring into his. But now they were hard and black, like two bottomless pools. Now they were alive. His friend was alive.

And then, for first time in so many long months Sasuke finally falls asleep.

Later Naruto is again kicked out of the room. This time in a more gently way: Tsunade comes in, and with hands on his shoulder carefully guides him away to her office. Naruto lets her, watching another nurse take his place near Sasuke. There is something in Tsunade's serious expression that stops him.

Walk is short as the new Hokage Tower conveniently close to the hospital, actually connected to in by one or two corridors.

"Sit, Naruto." Tsunade tells him as she, herself, sit in Hokages chair behind old mahogany desk. "This is actually serious."

"I understand. There is… Something wrong?" he slowly seat in one of the guest chair as he speak, worry and fear filling him again. Tsunade sigh and close her eyes, resting chin on folded hands, elbows strongly pressing against the wood of a desk.

"Uchiha was dead for ten minutes. And should I remind you of his state before he went into cardiac arrest? And I have a strong feeling, that there's something wrong from everything he went through." she says calmly and open her eyes. "There should be… There is some damage to his mind. It's a good sign that he recognized you, but don't get your hopes high."

Naruto swallows, Adam apple bobbing up and down, strongly griping armrests as if trying to rip them off.

"Sasuke was dead?"

"Yes. Deadly dead as dead person can be. But at least he snapped out of that trance."

Naruto could swear that if he were to get his arm in the air they will be uncontrollably shaking. Not trembling, but strongly shaking.

"Calm down, brat. Uchiha is alive and you saw it by yourself. Now he's resting, but I'll soon question him. I promise you to tell everything about his condition as fast as I can." Tsunade furrows her eyebrows, watching Naruto with strong concern. But he seems to be too engrossed in his own mind to even notice her words.

"For the love of Fire…" she finally snaps at him, pulling a bottle of sake somewhere from her strategically placed paperwork. "Drink before I get another cardiac arrest patient in your face. Stupid brat! Why should I even spend my precious alcohol on you…"

* * *

When he wakes up he doesn't recognize the place. But he surely hates it from the first sight: too white, too clean, and too bright. It hurts his eyes a lot and he immediately shuts them, face screwed in irritation. Then he hears some rustling and painful light on his eyelids is gone.

"Finally. I was actually going to kick you out of bed, stupid thing."

Voice harsh and somewhat angry worms into his head and his eyes snaps open, warily looking around now dim room. But all he could see is a middle aged woman with blond hair pulled into two ponytails dressed in a medical gown, her ember coloured eyes drilling into him.

"Now tell me. What's your name?" she speaks again, more calmly this time, as she take a seat near his bed. But answering that question actually takes some time, as if looking for a certain grain of sand in a desert. He tries to remember, but there is too much names in his head, how could he be sure that he know the right one? Then he remembers a person, a boy with bright blue eyes and blond head. He saw him – 'the moron', his mind supply him with this trough - just before falling asleep. That person, boy, moron… Moron? 'Naruto' called him something. Ah, now he remembers.

"Sasuke. My name is Sasuke." He quietly rasps out. There is a painful feeling in his throat and a sharp sting in his lips and eyes. He's still tired, but this woman somehow important, so he can't just glare her away and go to sleep. Wait. Glare her away?

Woman nods and writes something down. Then, she offers him some water in a glass, which he gladly gulps down. "Good. Do you know who I am?"

Now, this one is faster to remember. As if the needed memory floats itself to the surface of his mind.

"Tsunade. Orochimaru's team mate and one of the Sannin," he answers her, as he slowly sits. Now, he was pretty sure that there were no chains around his arm before. "And… May I ask you, what the fuck?"

Tsunade, as he now remember, glance at him, as if trying to understand, but then…

"Do you think I will trust you, Uchiha? You may be in hospital, but you have your chakra. I'm already at risk, without blindfold and all that."

He blinks, slightly bowing head to the bony shoulder. And then memory comes and hit him like a mad horse.

'That surely unexpected', Tsunade muses to herself, trying to understand what just happened. One moment she was observing Uchiha, just started to question him, the next moment… At first he froze, and then snarls at nothing, his eyes glassy and unfocused. He growls, and throws himself to the floor, away from her. This falls short, as chains stop him. After that he goes totally mad, trying to break free, like a wild scared animal, bruising and hurting himself.

'A dangerous animal', Tsunade reminds herself, writing down some new information about his condition. To her surprise, Sasuke calms down as fast as the hell went loose. She didn't even need to drug him.

"And what was that?" she frowns, carefully observing the sweating and harshly breathing brat. At first there is no sign that he herds Tsunade, but then…

"Bad memories, I think."

"Bad memories? Do you have some problem, recalling tings?" That was what she was talking about to Naruto. But by the looks of it, at least it isn't amnesia.

"Ah..."

Tsunade takes that as a "yes", internally cursing Uchiha clan and their breeding of heartless bastards. "Try to cooperate more, brat. I'm trying to help here."

"As if I to believe in that, Hokage," he answers flatly, his face and voice free from any emotion and warmth. "You and your precious traitorous Konoha…"

At this, Tsunade actually fight the will to beat the shit out of him. He even worse than Orochimaru.

"I don't know what Naruto sees in you, fucking traitor." She says slowly, her anger seething deep down. And then he does another fucking thing that totally throws her out of balance:

"Bark on bitch, I hear thee not! Shitty wizard!" Sasuke shouts, arrogantly jerking his chin up and his already bruised arms against restrains. "I'll shatter the Dead God's legions, as they murdered the monks of Turstarkuri! To avenge the fallen monastery, I will destroy every magical alliance!"

Tsunade hears herself snapping, as she gets up and squeeze the Uchiha's throat with enough force to choke his breath. "What?!"

Seconds stretch themselves as she watch how his slitted, snake-like pupils constrict in dark eyes – God know what Orochimaru did to the boy – how he tries to force some air into his lings, and how panic and confusion cracks his perfect mask. Then, she lets him go.

"What. Was. That."

"N-not me." Oh, great, now teh great and mighty Uchiha stutters. "That was… Antimage."

"Anti… Who?!"

"Antimage".

Tsunade already began feeling pulsating pain in head. That was going to be a very long day.

* * *

The next day, when Naruto comes to Tsunade's office, full of different emotions, he finds her drinking with an angry scowl and a missing guest chair. Probably went through that broken window.

"Gramps? Are you okay here?" She glares at him and nearly growls, drinking another cup of sake in one shot. "Wow. What happened?"

"Your fucking Uchiha, that's what! Fire, help me not to strangle that little shit the next time a see him!"

Now, they both frowning and glaring at each other. After a moment, Tsunade slams her cup against table and continues to talk:

"I'm not going into all fucking details – I'm sure you'll not understand anything – but I'm freaking sure that Uchiha is fucking nuts!"

At this Naruto goes all pale and wide eyed. But Hokage dismiss him with a wave of hand.

"Stop it. He's not dangerous, nor should be in straitjacket – not saying that I wouldn't gladly pit him in one. But there is a lot bad shit with his head. Antimage." She barks a short laughter, ignoring Naruto's confused face. "To cut the long story short… He could be let out under someone's constant supervision and a lot of chakra seals, but I prefer to see him in a mental wing."

"Old hag! Don't say something like this!"

"Shut up, and don't dare to call me that." Tsunade snaps at the fuming Naruto. "As much as I hate him, Uchiha could be of a great use to village, especially with the way his Sharingan evolved into Rinnegan. But he needs a supervisor. Or, if more correctly, a babysitter."

"I volunteer! I will be the best you can find! And I'm the only one who can kick his ass!" Naruto jumps happily, throwing his arms in the air. Tsunade sighs, and closes her eyes.

"I wanted to put him with Kakashi, but now I have a feeling that then you'll never shut up. You may get him, after recovering. But there will be a lot of work, do you understand? Like feeding Uchiha medication and check-ups and shit".

"I'll do anything, gramps! I'll be the most responsible babysitter in this world!"

"You look like a boy who gets a dog for the first time". Tsunade snorts at Naruto's antics. "Just don't run back to me when he'll be driving you nuts, Uzumaki!"

* * *

Now, with all new information and a 'get the fuck out of here' from Tsunade, Naruto finds himself standing before plain white door in Konoha Hospital. And behind that door sure to be a certain Uchiha. Well, considering the fact that he's now only Uchiha left. So, taking a huge breath Naruto pushes the door open, silently glancing around the room. There.

He's so used to the sign of Sasuke in that rock hard bed, that he's a little shocked to see him in a chair beside the window. Thin and frail looking, with bony hands on his lap and dark smudges around eyes, Sasuke looks no better, if not worse than before. Not to mention lack of chakra around him and seals carved into his forearms: five black flame circles on each. Still Naruto feel happy, and crack a huge smile, closing the door behind him.

"Hey, smartass! Look who's awake!"

"Hn." Uchiha slowly turn his hear in general direction of Naruto, blank look on his face.

"You know, I actually missed that. And you look like a panda. Really." With this Uzumaki comes closer, arm in pockets of old jumper. "But, well, at least you don't look like a crazy. Maybe Tsunade made a mistake, you know?"

Sasuke snorts and looks away, staring out of the window at the new Konoha, rebuild from scratch.

"I know you mad with me and all. But now you're home."

For a moment Sasuke freezes, then turns his head and look straight into Naruto blue eyes:

"Winter is coming."

"Ugh… Sasuke… It's already winter. January." To say Naruto is confused is to say nothing at all.

"So we finally meet," said Uchiha, totally ignoring blonde, turned his head back and went full death-glare at freshly fallen snow, so rare for Fire country. "January."

"Ooookay, so old hag may actually be right on this one." Warily looking at Sasuke Naruto gently grabs his shoulder, ignoring the rough feel of patient gown fabric. "Sasuke, do you hear me?"

Rudely showing hand away Sasuke shift his glare on poor Uzumaki.

"I'm perfectly aware of your annoying presence, moron."

"Ugh, good to see old you back." Naruto shudder, avoiding dark eyes. "Got me scared for a moment."

But, to his horror, as soon as the suffocating force of Uchiha glare disappears, something cold touches his cheeks, forcing him to face Sasuke. The cold happens to be Sasuke's hands and not only forcing Naruto to face him, but to get blonde really close to his face. This close, brunet's black eyes seems to be just really dark gray, with bottomless snake-like pupils.

"I'm sorry."

At this, Uzumaki Naruto screams.

* * *

"Fuck, that was really creepy, you know?!" Even fifteen minutes later Naruto finds it hard to calm down. Sasuke on other hand, only glares at him, nursing his now reddened cheek. "What the hell happened to your eyes?"

"Orochimaru." Uchiha glares harder trying to kill blonde idiot just by looking. Lucky for Naruto, his chakra sealed to the point where he not only can't activate Sharingan, but even using a slight bit of chakra will eat his life force away. "Passed some traces after I… defeated him."

And then in the place of pale mask, Sasuke actually looks… sheepish. "I even moult."

"Fuck. That's even creepier." Naruto shudder, his face paler than usual. "Just… Warn me before, so I can run away or something since we are going to live together."

"Together?"

"Yeah, I'm going to be your supervisor on Hokage's orders. It's better than Kakashi, I swear!"

"Huh…"

"Oh, come on, I'm serious!"

"Sirius?"

"Yes, serious!"

"As in Sirius Black?"

At this Naruto's mouth closed with a loud clack. Maybe now he began to understand that's there was really something wrong with Sasuke's head. And that's beside the freaky eye and moult thing. But still, this is Sasuke, his comrade and friend. Even if he's a little messed up.

"So, when I'm out of this shithole?"

"Hey, this is Hospital, you know! And a good one!" Naruto fumed, crossing his arms on his chest. "They say you need some time to recover at least some strength. Also, they Tsunade want to monitor you for any kind of aggression."

"Aggressive here is only you." Sasuke actually pointed to his swollen cheek to prove his point. "And I'm okay. I can walk by myself."

"Well, tell that to the doctor. But I don't think that you recovered much."

"Can you actually do that?"

"Do what?"

"Think."

Naruto only stared, his eyes squinted, as Sasuke smirked.

* * *

END


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